The present invention generally relates to structuring dynamic data. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for structuring dynamic data.
As the world becomes increasingly digital, medical technology also becomes increasingly digital. In prior systems, the output of a Radiology exam would be a series of films. Today, everything from routine X-rays and laboratory results to EKGs and complex MRI scans are available in electronic form and widely accessible through clinical and radiological information systems. Storing clinical data in a computer, particularly a computer situated on a network, creates an increasingly accessible clinical environment. However, merely storing data in electronic form does not overcome all problems associated with paper files. To locate a patient's exam, current systems still require knowledge of where the information is stored. Trying to locate a specific detail of an exam is even more difficult. Thus, a need exists to store clinical data in a form that is not only electronic, but accessible as well.
In radiology, every image taken during an exam may require a radiologist's examination. The radiologist views each image, marks down several findings and notes the findings in a report. The field of structured reporting emerged to organize radiologist reports in a manner that is easily accessible. A structured report for an exam consists of coded information. A radiologist associates findings with an image location and provides appropriate descriptions of findings based on the image coordinates and anatomical location. A report that stores references to the image or portions of the image with findings is generated. Additionally, the radiologist's findings may be coded. For example, the radiologist may pick a finding from a predefined list, with only certain findings allowed. This method has the added advantage of standardizing language, making it easier to find results. Computerization of structured report generation provides means for gaining productivity and ease of access to stored prior reports as well as a flexible user interface for the selection of the codified findings. These codified findings include finding descriptors anatomical location descriptors and position descriptors, for example. Using databases for storing such structured reports allows for ease of data mining, searches, etc.
Classical structured reporting works well as a tool to describe a single image representing static data, but fails to fully support applications requiring analysis of dynamic data. For example, in mammography, it is crucial to compare scans over time as opposed to in a single imaging session. It would be highly desirable to have an organized reporting system to systematically compare historical scans.
Additionally, it is often insufficient to examine a single image in a single imaging session. For example, when images are compared with biological cycles in response to external stimuli or other criteria, multiple images may be used for a radiologist to assess a situation. Many image or anatomy properties use multiple images for proper calculation. Functional properties of anatomical parts may be captured in a set of images over a select duration. Findings may be a result of certain attributes calculated over the select duration. Existing structured reporting systems do not include reporting for such information. Thus, current structured reporting systems do not accommodate recordation of dynamic or functional data obtained over multiple images. Therefore, a system for reporting dynamic data would be highly desirable.
Furthermore, current structured reporting systems restrict data entry to certain set formats for certain set types of information. As new formats become available, it would be highly desirable to have the ability to switch between different formats. Additionally, as new medical conditions or diagnostic data materialize it would be important to update the set formats to reflect changes. Thus, a flexible, dynamic structured reporting system would be highly desirable.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for structuring dynamic and functional data from a plurality of images and providing a flexible format to describe data.